Fundraiser of the week - Princess Leia

Our fundraiser of the week is Charlotte Mookpixie, who dressed as Princess Leia from Star Wars this week and gained the attention of Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill.

Charlotte tweeted an image of herself dressed as the iconic character to Mark Hamill and was delighted to see he had liked her tweet.

Charlotte, who has had M.E. for nearly five years, said: “This year, I have chosen to support Action for M.E. because they are the charity closest to me in terms of location, and with regards to the amount of support I have received whilst being ill.

“The last few years have seen me bedbound at times, and I am still only able to cope with one trip out of the house per week as long as it is carefully planned and managed so that I have plenty of time before and after to recover, and make sure I take the necessary precautions to lessen the impact on my brain and body. Thankfully, I am improving slowly but surely, but it is a very slow process and I would like your help to get me there more quickly.

“M.E. is, frankly, a ridiculous and soul-destroying illness and I am no longer surprised that for so long, it has been disparaged and under-exaggerated in the media and medical circles alike. It is staggeringly difficult to understand what the illness does, even for people like myself, who suffer so acutely from its effects.

“Thankfully, attitudes are changing and improvements are being made in the name of M.E. research. There is a real feeling of positivity within the M.E. community that finally we might be able to unlock the secrets of the illness and find that all-important cure, or at the very least, a suitable treatment.”